Katima Mulilo
Katima Mulilo CEO Charles Nawa, Mayor Charles Matengu and chairperson of the management committee Salubila Maswahu were pressured into disclosing their ownership of land at the town, following accusations that the trio owns multiple plots while most residents are landless.
This followed an emotionally charged meeting here last week, born out of the recent land grabbing in Macaravan East by about 1 000 landless youths.
The youths demanded to know how many plots the three officials own within the boundaries of Katima Mulilo. It was also alleged that council was selling land to foreigners at the expense of residents during a meeting over the grabbing of land. They also alleged that the predecessors of current management never owned multiple plots, as is the case now.
In a petition read by the group’s leader Ntesa Mahoto that was handed over to Zambezi Regional Governor Lawrence Sampofu, the youths also noted that council was advocating for “one man, one plot” policy while its officials own multiple plots at the expense of the masses. “‘One man, one plot’ is the song of the Katima Mulilo Town Council while their officials occupy more than one plot. There’s no master plan for serviced land for low-income earners such as domestic workers or security guards. The CEO has set precedence by living on a large unserviced plot on the banks of the Zambezi River,” read the petition.
Reacting to the accusations, Maswahu noted that he only owned two plots – one residential and a business plot, which he said he acquired procedurally. “We are often accused of owning multiple plots. I have a plot at Boma and I applied like everyone else. The other plot I have in Chotto is a business plot. The plot at Cowboy was obtained by my wife a long time ago during the time of Mr Sazita but I did not have financial resources to develop it then,” cleared Maswahu.
Maswahu further answered on behalf of Nawa, noting that the large piece of land Nawa owns on the banks of the Zambezi River was obtained formally and that Nawa was leasing the land in question from the town council. “The plot was given formally. Nawa is leasing that plot from town council. His other plot at Coloured’s Camp, he bought it from someone else. He paid for it with his own money,” said Maswahu.
Katima Mulilo CEO Charles Nawa also revealed that Mayor Charles Matengu owns a residential plot he obtained before he was even mayor and that he too owns an industrial plot on the western outskirts of Katima Mulilo. “The mayor has a residential plot he got before he was mayor. He was also allocated an industrial plot close to EPZ after following all the procedures,” said Nawa.
Oddly enough though, Nawa admitted to a revelation that Zambezi Regional Governor Lawrence Sampofu too had no land. “It is true, the governor is renting. His application found us. We have already allocated him a plot and delays are being caused by demarcation procedures,” noted Nawa.
Nawa further noted that contrary to what people believe, his predecessor has a plot in Katima Mulilo and condemned suggestions from the youths, who kept interjecting saying he should be removed from his position. “My predecessor Mr Sazita has a plot in Boma. Let’s be honest. Let’s not just point fingers at each other. I never was recruited in this post through an election. I went through an interview and was employed on a five-year contract,” said Nawa.
Nawa challenged the youths to give him names of foreigners that have bought land from town council. “Can you list for me the foreigners that council sold land to? We have this problem of residents themselves selling their plots to foreigners and people think it’s the town council. The Chinese national, who is building close to the cemetery, has partnered with a Namibian in a company in which the Namibian is the majority shareholder,” explained Nawa to an interjection that a Chinese national was sold land at the Dairy informal location.